The online Dialect Atlas of Newfoundland and Labrador

Lead Researcher and DepartmentA research project of the English Language Research Centre, Faculty of Arts, Memorial University Dr. Sandra Clarke, Department of Linguistics; Dr. Philip Hiscock, Department of Folklore, Memorial University

Collaborators and StudentsProf. Robert Hollett, Department of English Language and Literature; Suzanne Power, English Language Research Centre; Web design, programming and technical support by Memorial's DELTS (Distance Education, Learning and Teaching Support) and by Computing and Communications (C&C) Webworks.

Funding ResourcesSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC); J.R. Smallwood Foundation for Newfoundland and Labrador Studies; Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER).

SummaryThe online Dialect Atlas of Newfoundland and Labrador was formally launched on October 23, 2013, to considerable media attention. More than a decade in the making, it documents regional differences in selected features of pronunciation, morphosyntax (grammar) and lexicon within the spoken English of the province. The "structural" component  grounded in regional dialect data for traditional speakers in 69 coastal communities on the island of Newfoundland, assembled in the 1970s and 1980s by linguist Harold Paddock  expands the original project to include information on the geographical distribution of 31 features of pronunciation and 27 features of grammar. The lexical ("words") component documents responses to a 566-item questionnaire from 126 traditional speakers in 20 representative communities, in both the island and Labrador portions of the province.

One of the very few online dialect atlases in the English-speaking world, the Atlas is designed to appeal not simply to scholars, educators and students, but also to the public at large. An important component is the provision of thousands of illustrative audio clips for the Atlas' pronunciation features, thereby enabling web users to hear the actual voices of Newfoundland speakers born as early as 1871. An "Activities" section provides site visitors with an opportunity to test their knowledge of  and increase their familiarity with  Newfoundland and Labrador English, in a dynamic and interactive environment. The Atlas also invites contributions and comments concerning current and observed usage of local features of English.

The Atlas has benefitted from financial support from Memorial University in the form of grants from the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) and the J.R. Smallwood Foundation, along with considerable funding for student assistance (full information is provided in the "About" section of the online Atlas). Its present format, however, was made possible by a generous Public Outreach Dissemination Grant awarded in 2011 by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Despite its launch, work on the Atlas continues. In 2014, a 'By Community' search feature was added to the Atlas. Now users can search either the whole province or restrict their search to a community of particular interest. The Atlas databases are undergoing conversion to a format that will be made available, upon application, to interested scholars. In addition, the Atlas team has partnered with the Department of Education of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District with funding from the Office of Public Engagement to develop 4 lesson plans based on the Atlas, now incorporated into the Grade 8 Social Studies curriculum and available world-wide (see http://www.yaffle.ca/a/viewProject/id/1913).